Luggage holder for saddles, in particular for bicycles

ABSTRACT

A simply formed and easily mountable luggage holder, in particular for bicycles, having a luggage container in driving direction removably mounted on back of and/or underneath the saddle. The luggage holder for is provided with a fastening part holding the luggage container, and a longitudinal beam fastened underneath the saddle with a receptacle for receiving said fastening part, said receptacle (4) being tubular shaped, the longitudinal axis of said tubular receptacle (4) being inclined downward in driving direction, the longitudinal beam (3) with its luggage-sided end part (14) being fastened with its rear section to at least one saddle spring (7), and additionally being fastened with its opposite end part (13) underneath or behind the fastening head (5) of the saddle pillar (6).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a luggage holder, in particular for bicycles,for fastening a luggage container, being provided with a fastening partholding the luggage container, and a longitudinal beam fixed below thesaddle and having a receptacle for inserting the fastening part, saidreceptacle being tubular shaped and its longitudinal axis being inclineddownward in driving direction, and the longitudinal beam with itsluggage-side end part on the rear section being fastened to at least onesaddle spring.

PRIOR ART

The closest prior art upon which the preamble of the main claim isbased, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,617 in which a saddle seatpack assembly for a bicycle is disclosed which shows the features asstated in the above paragraph. The seat pack is thereby substantiallyaccommodated underneath the saddle. Therefore it must not jut outlaterally from underneath the saddle because in such case the cyclistwould be hampered while pedalling.

From U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,343 a saddlebag has been known which isattachable to a fixture part underneath the saddle by means of a holdermade of flat stock. Although the holder of the saddlebag may be pushedinto the fixture part easily respectively pulled out of it, there ishowever the danger that it will detach unintentionally unless the bag isfastened additionally to the bicycle frame. Moreover, no lateralguidance for the saddlebag is guaranteed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple formed and easilymountable luggage holder by means of which a luggage container may beattached behind the saddle in driving direction, so that it does by nomeans hamper the cyclist, and may easily be fastened and detached but issecured against an inadvertent detachment.

In accordance with the invention the object is obtained by thecharacteristics as shown in claim 1.

The invention presents the advantages with respect to prior art that theluggage holder which is mounted at the back or underside of the saddlerespectively is very lightweight and yet is able to carry also heavyluggage containers such as a knapsack. Due to the possibility offastening a beam underneath the saddle the beam is almost inconspicuousand adapts to nearly every type of saddle due to a simple mounting. Inconsequence of the inclined insertion with respect to the horizontalline, an additional locking of the fastening part associated with theluggage container as such is not necessary because the luggage containerholds itself in the longitudinal beam due to the force of gravity andfriction. An advantageous shaping of the fastening part for the luggagecontainer keeps the latter dimensionally stable. Such advantageousembodiment is characterized in that the fastening part has the shape ofa fork with spaced apart free prongs which engage into the luggagecontainer.

Fork-shaped fastening parts which engage with the free prongs into lugsa luggage container for bicycles have been known from EP-A-0 413 106 andU.S. Pat. No. 4,440,332.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are shown in the subclaims andthe following description.

In the following the invention will be described in further detailstaking reference to embodiments which are in particular explained bymeans of the enclosed drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through an embodiment of the luggage holderwith a luggage container mounted to the underside of a bicycle saddle;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along a line II--II in FIG. 1 through themounted luggage holder without saddle in a scale which is enlarged withrespect to the illustration in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along a line III--III in FIG. 1 through thelongitudinal beam in a scale which is enlarged with respect to the FIG.1, with the luggage container and its associated mounting part;

FIG. 3a shows the cutout shown in FIG. 3 and encircled by the circle IVwith another embodiment of the longitudinal beam in which its lower endis fastened also to the saddle springs by means of a fixed support; and

FIG. 4a through 4c are various views of an embodiment of the fixedsupport.

The luggage holder 1 (FIG. 1) is meant to be mounted underneath a saddle2. A longitudinal beam 3 has a tubular receptacle 4 for a fastening part51 for holding a luggage container 20. The saddle-sided end part 13 ofthe longitudinal beam 3 is located underneath a fastening head 5 of aseat pillar 6 of the saddle 2 and abuts against the seat pillar 6 atleast when the fastening part 51 is inserted.

The luggage-sided end part 14 of the longitudinal beam 3 is fixed due tothe mounting method in an inclined position with respect to thehorizontal line in the high position by means of a frame 8 (FIG. 1, 2).Said frame 8 is firmly connected with a crossbeam 9. On both sides ofthe said frame 8 one nut 18, 28 screwed each on the crossbeam 9 pressesagainst the clamp 8 so that same is immovably fixed upon the-crossbeam 9thus holding the longitudinal beam 3. The nuts 18, 28 are preferablystop nuts. Crossbeam holders 11, 21 are slipped on both ends of thecrossbeam 9. The crossbeam holders 11, 21 are provided with stud bolts12, 22 transversally to bushings 17, 27 of the crossbeams 11,21. On thestud bolts 12, 22 there is located each a stretching clamp 16, 26 withone nut 15, 25 each. Thereby the luggage holder 1 is fastened to thesaddle springs 7.

The crossbeam 9 turns freely in the crossbeam holders 11, 21. The frame8 is slideable relative to the longitudinal beam 3 parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the receptacle 4 until the end of the mountingprocess and is then clamped to the longitudinal beam 3 by tightening thenuts 18, 28.

The saddle-sided end 13 of the longitudinal beam 3 is fixed to the seatpillar 6 by means of a detachable flexible holding strap 19 which iswound around the fastening head 5 of the seat pillar 6.

The holding strap 19 consists either of metal or of plastic material.

The longitudinal beam 3 consists either of metal or of plastic material.

The fastening part 51 consists substantially of bent rod and has theshape of a holding fork. Said holding fork is provided with spatiallydistant prongs 58, 59. They engage into lugs 44, 57 which are providedon the luggage container 20, preferably on opposite sides of the luggagecontainer 20. The other end of the fastening part 51 is shaft-like. Theshaft 46 of the fastening part 51 rests against its lateral sides--ifinserted into the receptacle 4 of the longitudinal beam 3.

Due to the inclined position of the luggage holder 1, the luggagecontainer 20 and the fastening part 51 respectively need not beadditionally fixed to the longitudinal beam 3, because the fasteningpart 51 is held in the longitudinal beam 3 due to the force of gravityand friction.

In another embodiment of the luggage holder in accordance with theinvention, a fixed support 60 is provided on the lower end of thelongitudinal beam 3, which, as shown in FIG. 3a, may be tied between thesaddle springs 7. The end piece 61 of the fixed support 60 averted fromthe longitudinal beam 3 is provided with two wings 62 which jut outhorizontally over the built-in longitudinal beam 3 on both sides. Theends of the wings 62 form each two noses 63 which frame each a U-shapedgroove 64 which opens towards the wing ends. The grooves 64 aredimensioned so that they are able to surround partly the saddle springs7. The distance between the two grooves 64 is such that the fixedsupport 7 assembled between the saddle springs 7 is pinched-in with thewings 62. The normal on the side of the holding support 60 averted fromlongitudinal beam 3 is tilted upward with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the longitudinal beam 3 and the extension of the grooves 64 isparallel with respect to the above normal. The inclination of the normalwith respect to the longitudinal axis is determined by the angle whichthe longitudinal beam 3 and the saddle spring 7 form with one another inthe vertical of the place where the holding support 60 is pinched in.

The holding support 60 may be one integral part with the longitudinalbeam 3 or, as shown in FIG. 3a, be slipped on the longitudinal beam 3.The shape which is slipped on is illustrated also in FIGS. 4a through4c. FIG. 4a shows the fixed support 60 slipped on the longitudinal beam3 (in a partly sectioned) lateral view. FIG. 4b shows the view on theside of the end piece 61 averted from the longitudinal beam 3, and FIG.4c shows the view on the end of part 67 which is slipped upon thelongitudinal beam 3. The part 67 which changes over into the end piece61, is cylindrical-shaped, its inner cross section corresponding to theouter cross section of the longitudinal beam 3. The end piece 61 isprovided with the above described wings 62 which horizontally jut outover the part 67. The holding support 60 consists preferably of metal orplastic material.

On inserting the slipped-on fixed support 60 during assembly of thelongitudinal beam 3, at first the holding support 60 with the wings 62is pinched between the two saddle wings 7--i.e. into their section whichis situated directly behind the fastening head 5--so that the grooves 64surround the saddle springs 7 and the open end of part 67 averted fromend piece 61 is directed toward the luggage side. Due to its shapeharmonized with the shape of the saddle springs 7, the open end therebypoints inclined upwards. Then the longitudinal beam 3 is entered intothe open end of part 67 with its end 13 averted from the luggage side,if need be, assisted by light blows with a hammer. Subsequently also theluggage-sided end 14 of the longitudinal beam 3 is fixed to the saddlesprings 7 by means of the frame 8, of the crossbeam 9 fastened to it,and the crossbeam holders 17, 27 by means of the stretching clamps 16and 26.

The support 60 improves the fixing of the longitudinal beam 3 to thesaddle 2 and therewith the stability of the luggage holder altogether.It may be used in addition to or instead of the holding strap 19.

For a further increase of the safety of the anchorage of the luggagecontainer--as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3--one or a plurality of hooks 47, 48are provided in its lower part. Ears 55, 56 are hooked into the hooks47, 48, which belong to connecting elements 23, 24, e.g. in the form ofrubber tapes or cords which are united at their respective opposite endsinto a common hook 49. This latter serves for being hooked into theledge between the rear construction struts of the bicycle frame 50, e.g.of a racing bicycle or a mountainbike with which the luggage holderaccording to the invention is preferably used.

In particular on occasion of cross country trips such elastic support ofthe luggage container 20 and a thereby safe fastening to the bicycleproves to be advantageous, as opposed to a rigid support such as aluggage carrier.

The luggage container 20 is preferably a saddlebag or a knapsack. It mayeither be detached from the bicycle together with the fastening part 51or immediately be drawn off the fastening part 51.

I claim:
 1. Luggage holder, in particular for bicycles having a saddlewith saddle springs mounted on a fastening head of a saddle pillar, forfastening a luggage container thereto, said holder being provided with alongitudinal beam having one end adapted to be fastened to one of saidfastening head or at least one of said saddle springs underneath orbehind the fastening head (5) of the saddle pillar (6) and a fasteningpart having a distal and a proximal end in regard to the longitudinalbeam with the distal end being adaptable to secure the luggage containersaid longitudinal beam having a receptacle at the other end thereof forinserting the fastening part, said receptacle being shaped tubular andits longitudinal axis being inclined downward in driving direction, andthe longitudinal beam being adapted to be fastened at the other endthereof to a rear section of at least one saddle spring, whereby theluggage container (20) is disposed behind the longitudinal beam in saiddriving direction.
 2. Luggage holder as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the said receptacle (4) has a rectangular crosssection orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.
 3. Luggageholder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the said fasteningpart (51) has the form of a preferably one-piece--holding fork withspatially distant free prongs (58, 59) which engage into the luggagecontainer.
 4. Luggage holder as claimed in claim 3, characterized inthat the free prongs (58, 59) of the said fastening part (51) engageinto lugs (44, 57) which are provided on the luggage container (20). 5.Luggage holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that saidproximal end of the fastening part (51) is made in the form of a shaft(46) which is preferbly dimensioned so that it rests against the lateralsides of the longitudinal beam (3)--when inserted into the tubularreceptacle (4).
 6. Luggage holder as claimed in claim 1 characterized inthat the other end of said longitudinal beam (3) is fastened to saidspring at least one by means of a frame (8) partly embracing it, to acrossbeam (9) which is rotatably supported in crossbeam holders (11, 21)which, in turn, are clamped to said at least one saddle spring (7). 7.Luggage holder as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the saidframe (8) is slideably parallel to the longitudinal axis of thereceptacle (4) relative to the longitudinal beam (3) until the assemblyis completed, and is clamped to the longitudinal beam (3) when ininserted condition.
 8. Luggage holder as claimed in claim 6,characterized in that the crossbeam (9) is fixed to at least one saddlespring 7) by means of stretching clamps (16, 26).
 9. Luggage holder asclaimed in claim 1 characterized in that the longitudinal beam (3) isfastened with its end part (1) with a, flexible holder to the saddlepillar (6).
 10. Luggage holder as claimed in claim 9, characterized inthat the said holder is a flexible holding strap (19) preferablyconsisting of metal or plastic material which preferably is firmly boundaround the saddle pillar (6) with its fastening head (5).
 11. Luggageholder as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that a connecting element(23, 24) preferably consisting of rubber band or a rubber cord isprovided for further fastening of the luggage container.
 12. Luggageholder as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that a fixed support (60)is provided at said one end of the longitudinal beam (3) for mounting tosaid at least one saddle spring (7).
 13. Luggage holder as claimed inclaim 12, characterized in that the fixed support (60) consistspreferably of metal or plastic material and preferably is made in oneintegral piece with the longitudinal beam (3) or slidably mounted tosaid longitudinal beam, said fixed support is provided with two wings(62) which jut out from the (mounted) longitudinal beam (3) and, at theends of each said wings (62) a groove (64) is provided each openingtoward the end of said wing, said grooves being dimensioned so that theyare able to partly embrace the saddle springs (7), and being so spacedfrom one another that the space between them is slightly larger thanthat between the saddle springs (7).
 14. Luggage holder as claimed inclaim 1 characterized in that the luggage container is disposed behindthe saddle in said driving direction.